W7 on two computers?

[Digerati]

An upgrade must still be tied to a valid license for the computer the upgrade is being installed on - and the motherboard is, for licensing purposes, the computer - not the drive. So if there was never a legal license tied to the wife's motherboard, you will need a full retail license.

 

[losgood]

Hers isn't the problem. She has a full retail XP disc which I can load onto her new HD and upgrade from that if she wants or just keep it on there.

 

[TrainableMan]

The double install is that you install Windows 7 Twice, not XP and then W7.

Digerati, from what I understand his current computer will be his wife's computer and he does have a valid OEM license on it, upgraded from 98 to XP currently but he plans to put in a new HD and install on that so it would be a legal upgrade path. He also has a full version of XP (if I understand correctly it is not OEM) on his wife's current (soon to be old) computer and he can transfer that license to his new build and legally upgrade that as well.

 

[losgood]

The double install is that you install Windows 7 Twice, not XP and then W7.

I understand that. Nice, if not sneaky, solution! LOL

Digerati, from what I understand his current computer will be his wife's computer and he does have a valid OEM license on it, upgraded from 98 to XP currently but he plans to put in a new HD and install on that so it would be a legal upgrade path. He also has a full version of XP (if I understand correctly it is not OEM) on his wife's current (soon to be old) computer and he can transfer that license to his new build and legally upgrade that as well.

Exactly.

 

[Digerati]

Hers isn't the problem. She has a full retail XP disc which I can load onto her new HD and upgrade from that if she wants or just keep it on there.

Then buying a cheaper upgrade license is legal.

However note you cannot technically "upgrade" directly from XP to Windows 7 anyway - you must do a full install regardless if using a new disk, or the old. So I don't see a problem here.

 

[TrainableMan]

However note you cannot technically "upgrade" directly from XP to Windows 7 anyway - you must do a full install regardless if using a new disk, or the old. So I don't see a problem here.

Exactly, migrating from XP to W7 requires a custom install so Microsoft made that possible even from the cheaper "upgrade" disks. So if you want to both run W7 I do think you should consider the family pack.

 

[losgood]

Exactly, migrating from XP to W7 requires a custom install so Microsoft made that possible even from the cheaper "upgrade" disks. So if you want to both run W7 I do think you should consider the family pack.

Since I found out about the student discount, I'll just get two of the upgrade discs for 30 bucks apiece...Even if I get the backup discs with them I'm still coming out cheaper.

 

[TrainableMan]

Since I found out about the student discount, I'll just get two of the upgrade discs for 30 bucks apiece...Even if I get the backup discs with them I'm still coming out cheaper.

Yes, if you qualify for the student version they are a good deal but you may want to decide if you will be going 32-bit or 64-bit because I think many student versions only have one disk or the other. Or since you are buying two maybe you just get one of each. The keys themselves will work on either 32 or 64 regardless of which disk is in the pack.